What does Achelous mean?
/ (ˌækɪˈləʊəs) / noun. classical myth a river god who changed into a snake and a bull while fighting Hercules but was defeated when Hercules broke off one of his horns.
How was Achelous born?
While several sources make Achelous the father, by various mothers, of the Sirens (see above), according to the 4th-century AD Greek teacher of rhetoric Libanius, they were born from the blood Achelous shed when Heracles broke off his horn. Both Diodorus Siculus and Strabo provide rationalized accounts of the story.
Who are the daughters of Oceanus?
According to Hesiod they are the offspring of Zeus and Eurynome, the daughter of Oceanus. Their names are Euphrosyne (joy), Thalia (bloom), and Aglaia (brilliance). Aglaia is the youngest, and the wife of Hephaestus.
Who are Achelous siblings?
Achelous
- Gender. Male.
- Alias. God of the Achelous River.
- Family. Oceanus (father) Tethys (mother) Oceanids (sisters) Sirens, Callirrhoe and several nymphs (daughters) Hippodamas and Orestes (sons) Euryte (granddaughter) Amphoterus and Arcanan (grandsons)
- Affiliation. Olympians.
- Status. Immortal.
Who was achelous?
Achelous, who was worshipped as the god of fresh water, was chief among his 3,000 brothers, and all springs, rivers, and oceans were believed to issue from him. His father was Oceanus, and either Tethys (according to Hesiod) or Gaea (according to Alcaeus) was his mother.
What kind of animal was achelous?
ACHELOUS SUMMARY
| Parents | Oceanus and Tethys |
|---|---|
| God of | The River Achelous |
| Home | River Achelous in Aetolia |
| Symbols | Cornucopia |
| Sacred Animals | Bull |
Who is the male god of beauty?
Adonis
In modern times, the term “Adonis” can be used to refer to a man who is desirable and attractive. The word has deep roots in ancient Greek mythology because Adonis is the god of beauty and attraction – a male counterpart for Aphrodite.
Is achelous a god?
Achelous, Greek Akheloios, shape-shifting Greek river god who was the personification of the Achelous River, one of the longest rivers in Greece. Achelous, who was worshipped as the god of fresh water, was chief among his 3,000 brothers, and all springs, rivers, and oceans were believed to issue from him.
Who was Achelous And why did Hercules fight him?
(De Flum. 22.) Achelous the god was a competitor with Heracles in the suit for Deïaneira, and fought with him for the bride. Achelous was conquered in the contest, but as he possessed the power of assuming various forms, he metamorphosed himself first into a serpent and then into a bull.
What killed Hercules?
Hercules was killed by one of his most powerful weapons, itself a relic of one of his most famous adventures. The venom of the Lernean Hydra was used to poison the arrows he used in later adventures, and eventually led to his death.
Who was the mother of the river god Achelous?
Like other river gods, Achelous was the son of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys, though some say his mother was Gaia ( Earth ). He was considered the oldest and most honored of the river gods, and his cult spread throughout ancient Greece – including Magna Graecia in Italy.
When did Sophocles tell the story of Achelous?
Sophocles, in his play Women of Trachis (c. 450–425 BC), has Deianeira tell her story, how Achelous wooed her in the shape of a bull, a snake, and a half-man/half-bull:
Where does the last name Achelous come from?
The name Ἀχελώϊος is possibly pre-Greek, its meaning is not entirely certain. Recent arguments suggest it is Semitic in origin, with the initial Αχ- stemming from the Akkadian aḫu (“bank of the river”), or aḫû (“seashore”) and the suffix -ελώἴος, from the Akkadian illu (“watercourse” or “water of the river invading land”).
Who is the guest of Achelous in the Metamorphoses?
Ovid in his Metamorphoses provided a descriptive interlude when Theseus is the guest of Achelous, waiting for the river’s raging flood to subside: “He entered the dark building, made of spongy pumice, and rough tuff.